The Facts About Pain in Labour Video

In this film mothers talk frankly about labour pain. One mum claims that anyone who says it doesn't hurt is lying, but that all the pain is worth it when you hold your beautiful newborn baby for the first time.Read the full transcript »

Natalie Taylor: The pain is un-describe -- I mean everyone has got a different pain threshold. If people say giving birth doesn't hurt, they are lying; it does. Imogen Adamson: At the time I was very open minded and thought we will just see what happens, not knowing what it is really like. Natalie Taylor: I have never experienced a thing like it and it is absolutely excruciating. Dr. Zoe Penn: It is probably one of the most painful things that you will ever do. I don't think it will proximate to having a teeth drilled or breaking a bone or anything like. Natalie Taylor: All your inhibitions go; you just don't care what you say or what you do. It is just a complete and utter experience. Male Speaker: How much pain are we talking about? Dr. Pat O'Brien: Well you are probably speaking to somebody of the wrong sex here but from what I gather, it is a lot of pain and traditionally people say that the worst type of pain that you can get is either kidney stone or labor pains. So pretty dramatic I think. Dr. Zoe Penn: The other thing is that it finishes, it really does switch itself off as soon as the baby is delivered the pain is gone. So this is not even like having an operation where you can expect to have your operation and then have several weeks of pain following that, it really does finish at the end of it. Imogen Adamson: Be very open minded about it, don't worry; you certainly decide you can't cope. I had a point where I was so tired and I knew the delivery is going to get more vigorous I just thought and I need some help. Dr. Zoe Penn: But I think one of the most important things to remember about the pain of labor is that you end up with a baby at the end of it and that is so important. It is not like just having your gall bladder removed or you got to show at the end your gall bladder you are going to have a baby at the end of it. Natalie Taylor: I think once, he is born a lot of it pounding to insignificance anyway. So, it hasn't put me putting that way of having the next one.

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